Finally I arrived in the land of mountains, skiing and Mozart: Austria! During my stay here in the middle of Europe, I learned many things about this country.

I arrived in Graz, a city in the south of Austria. Matthias and Margit took me on a journey to the capital of Austria, Vienna. That was really exciting. I travelled by bike, by train and by subway.

Finally we arrived at the Vienna town hall. I think I was the first snake ever that entered this amazing building. Inside we met a lot of teachers from different schools. All of them where very interested in the traffic snake game. I was very proud to be a TSG ambassador.

By the end of the day we had established a lot of contacts. When we travelled back to our home destination Graz, I was tired but very happy !

A few days later I got on the move again. This time we went to Salzburg, the hometown of Mozart. On our way to Salzburg I saw many mountains, and also a little bit of snow.

But the most exciting trip was our visit to a school that was actually playing the TSG. I was soooo exited to finally meet children from Austria. When we arrived at the school, they were waiting for me. As a welcome they sang the TSG Song. I was so happy and proud! I visited a few classes, and said hello to many children. We were all very excited and I had to answer many questions about my travel throughout Europe. Then suddenly a TV Channel and a photographer arrived at the school! They wanted to make a short report on the traffic snake game in Salzburg. All 70 Children sang TSG Song for the television! There was also a city politician and he was very happy that so many children came to school in a sustainable way!

At the end of the day we arrived back home in Graz. Me and my host Matthias were sitting on the couch, tired, and then….. I saw myself on television!!!!

Austria was fun, and I made many good friends! Now I am looking forward to go home to Leuven again and meet my family there!

Did you enjoy reading my adventures in Rome, Czech Republic, Lithuania,…so far? I’m still enjoying and thinking of all the amazing things I experienced, wonderful people I met and great places I went. But with Christmas and New Year around the corner, I’m still doubting where I should go for the holidays. I don’t know which country, city, school or family to choose! So that’s why I will hold a competition.

Make a nice, cool or funny picture or drawing around your local Traffic Snake and email it before the 16th of December to tsg@mobiel21.be. We will post the best ones on this blog and the school of my favourite picture or drawing will get a visit from me during the holidays! So come on, what are you waiting for?! Ho, ho, ho!

I’m back in Belgium but would like to tell you how the second part of my visit in lovely Slovenia went.

At the end of November I traveled around in the city of Ljutomer, where I visited Kindergarten Ljutomer and where I met a family that uses bicycles to travel to the school. I ended my visit in Martjanci, where the Slovenian organisers of the Traffic Snake Game have their office.

Look, this is Jakob and Polona:

They travel to school by bicycle or in a trailer attached to the bicycle. This is what they told me: “Riding in a trailer is fun and quick, the path goes up the hill first and then downhill really fast. Wow! we drove so quickly that my hair is a mess :)!”

Children from the Kindergarten Ljutomer were very happy to see me. In two years, when they will go the elementary school, they will play the Traffic Snake Game as well

At the kindergarten, I crawled in the morning circle and all the chilldren wanted to pat me and talk to me. They saw my passport and found out where I came from and wanted to know more about my home.

Then I went for a walk with the kids. Each one of them wanted to hold me which I didn’t mind! We were an attraction when they walked with me through the city. The adults and passers-by were also entertained.

Then I was served lunch in the kindergarten so I was not hungry anymore.

I also visited the older children, who at that time had an English lesson. I was very happy because I understood everything. Take a look at what we learned – Video 1 and Video 2.

The three days in the kindergarten passed very fast. The children hope I will come back some day and that I will recognise them and remember their names. Which of course I will!

I ended my stay visiting the Slovanian NFP office. All the colleagues of Katja (person left on the picture) were verry pleased and happy to meet me. They follow the results of the campaign and also encourage new schools to join the campaign.

Then Damir showed me an E-Bike, which they give to businesses, engaged in delivery of goods. Whaaauw, we went fast, withouth much effort.

Finally I arrived in Slovenia! First I visited the elementary school Osnovna šola I Murska Sobota (Northeast part of Slovenia). You can not imagine how happy the children were! They said they like the Traffic Snake Game and that they would like to play it next year as well.

And they said that Travis is soft, long and friendly, because he does not bite!

The school supports the Traffic Snake Game. Especially now the game has come to an end and the schools achieved excellent results. One of the teachers Marianne Kuzmič is also fascinated by Travis and the Traffic Snake Game.

Marianne told us that the school already played the Deluxe version of the game: the school invited road safety professionals, like policemen, who instructed younger children how to safely cross the road, and they also introduced the use of public transport to older children and prepared them for a cycling test.

Marianne is particularly proud of her class because it has achieved the best results in the school. She walks to the school or shares car with others who are driving in the direction of the school. As a reward after the game she took her pupils to the children playground in a nearby park, where they could play, and they also participated in the traffic as pedestrians on their way to the park.

The school experienced a positive response from parents who were for two weeks completely serious about the Traffic Snake Game. Some of them immediately bought safety helmets for their children and they even follow the Traffic Snake Game rules today.

The end of September I visited the town of Třinec and met two schools playing the Traffic Snake Game (in Czech called “Oblékáme hada Edu”).

Třinec is an important industrial and cultural centre in the Moravian-Silesian Region in the north-east of the Czech Republic, close to the Polish border and also near to the border with Poland. The town is notable for its ironworks, Třinecké železárny – Moravia Steel. It is the largest steel making company in the Czech Republic and still has a major impact on the town and on its character.

Together with the school kids I learned a lot about traffic signs and rules, and we rode bicycles, scooters and pedal cars in the playground.

The schools organised an art contest for the pupils. The children from the school Kaštanová drew very nice pictures on the theme ‘A day without cars’.

Everyone was excited to meet me and were having their pictures taken with me.

What a pity I had to leave this nice country after this second visit. Hope to visit the Czech republic soon another time.